Axminster pile fabric



M. W. WORTH AXMINSTER PILE FABRIC July 26, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 27, 1959 July 26, 1960 w, wo Z,9@6,355

AXMINSTER FILE FABRIC Filed Jan. 27, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 26, 1960 M. w. WORTH AXMINSTER PILE FABRIC 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 waxy 7% gag: C0.

Filed Jan. 27, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I Filed Jan. 27, 1959 July 26, 1960 M. w. WORTH AXMINSTER FILE FABRIC 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 27, 1959 United States Patent 2,946,355 Patented July 26, 1960 AXMINSTER PILE FABRIC Maurice W. Worth, Glasgow, Va., assignor to James Lees and Sons Company, Bridgeport, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Jan. 27, 1959, Ser. No. 789,435

7 Claims. (Cl. 139-401) This invention relates to the provision of a novel Axminster-type pile fabric and particularly to such a fabric having both cut and uncut pile projections.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 782,972, filed December 24, 1958.

The conventional Axminster loom as such is incapable of producing an uncut or loop pile face. Previous attempts to modify an Axminster loom to produce an uncut pile have met with varying degrees of success. One example of such a modification is Eisler and Moxley Patent No. 2,715,918. The present invention, however, is a radically dilferent approach from all previously known devices in that it does not employ a pile forming wire of any sort nor does it use individual hooks to hold up the pile.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel uncut Axminster pile fabric.

And a still further object of the invention is to provide a loop pile Axminster fabric in which one end of each loop extremity is tied in between superimposed top and bottom shots and the other end is tied in under the next succeeding single shot.

I Further objects will be apparent from the specification and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an Axminster loom constructed in accordance with the present invention,

' Fig. 2 is a sectional detail showing the actuating mech anism for the improved upper comb,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail as seen at 33 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a weave diagram of a warpwise section of a fabric produced on my improved loom,

Fig. 5 is a weftwise section of the fabric as seen at 55 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a weftwise section of the fabric as seen at 6-6 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is a perspective showing the front and upper surfaces of the upper comb,

Fig. 8 is a perspective showing the front and bottom surfaces of the upper comb of Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional detail as seen at 9-9 of Fig. 7, l I

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional detail as seen at 10-10 of Fig. 7,

Figs."11-20 show diagrammatically the weaving of the fabric in accordance withthe present invention together with the structural relationship of the various parts of the modified Axminster loom,

Fig. 21 is a warpwise section of the fabric shown in Fig. 4 but with the leading pile ends extending to a greater height,

Fig. 22 is a warpwise section of the fabric shown in Fig. 4 but with the trailing pile ends extending to a greater height, and

Fig. 23 is a view similar to Figs. 21 and 22 but with both the leading and trailing ends extending to greater heights to produce a cut and uncut pile effect.

The invention comprises essentially the provision of an upper comb which is positioned immediately above the woven fabric as it passes over the breast beam. The comb advances to fold over severed pile ends down into the fell and around the lower comb which raises the cut pile projections to form loops. The lower comb wipes up the end of each projection to securely tie in under the next filling weft or shot. The invention also includes the novel steps of producing an Axminster loop pile fabric having the pile extremities wiped up into the ground fabric which in turn produces a new and different prodnet with a heavy, reinforced backing.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the pertinent parts of an Axminster loom are illustrated in Fig. 1 and comprise harness frames 30, 31, and 32 which control chain warps 33, 34 and stuffer warp 35 respectively. The pile yarns Y are supplied from a tube frame 36 and feed from spool 37 through tuft tubes 38 as in the customary Axminster loom. Successive tube frames are removed from the chain and dipped into the shed to present the several yarn ends Y to the weaving apparatus. The operation of the Axminster chains and tube frames is well known and need not be described herein. Likewise, following conventional Axminster practice, a pair of knives or blades 40 and 41 are positioned to sever a controlled length of yarn Y from the tube frames. Blade 40 may be considered a gauging blade and is secured to the knife stock 42. Blade 41 is secured to knife stock 43 and cooperates with the blade 40 to sever all of the yarns supplied to the fabric from tube frame 36. My modified loom is also provided with the conventional reed 45 which beats up the various filling shots 46 into the fell 47 of the fabric F which passes over the tip 48 of the breast plate 49. The lower comb 50 is mounted on a movable support 51 and serves to wipe up the cut ends or extremities of the pile as will be described more fully hereinafter. An upper comb assembly 52 is provided with a series of teeth or tines 53 which cooperate with the lower comb 50 to weave the fabric shown in Figure 4. Upper comb 52 comprises a series of bifurcated, generally triangular teeth 53 which are secured to or are formed integrally with comb body 55 (Figs. 7 and 8) in turn mounted on a shaft 56 by brackets 57, 57. The lower edges of the teeth 53 are beveled or tapered, as shown clearly in Figs. 7 and 8, and each of the teeth is bifurcated at 58 to accommodate the warps 33, 34, and 35.

In the weaving cycle, the knives are opened, as shown in Fig. 1, and a needle 59 is inserted into the shed formed by chain warps 33 and 34 and stuifer warp 35 to place a shot of filling 46a in front of the reed 45. The other elements are generally retracted as seen in this position. Figure 11 illustrates the final step in the tying in of the trailing end 61 of the previously formed loop 62. This end 61 is wiped up and around the filling shot 46 by means of the comb 50. The leading leg or end of the succeeding loop is then inserted by means of tuft tube 38 to the position shown in Fig. 11. The broken lines show the maximum penetration of the tuft tube 38 and the yarn ends Y. In the next step the reed 45 beats up the filling shot 46a against the lower portion of each yarn Y shown in Fig. 12. Meanwhile, however, the lower comb 50 has withdrawn to a position below the tip 48 of the breast plate. The lower comb 50 elevates, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, to wipe up the leading end 63 of yarn- 15. After the ends are cut, the upper comb 53 is moved rearwardly to Wipe the ends Y downwardly and around the comb 59 and shot 46a. The arrows in Figs. 16 and 17 indicate the path of movement of the upper comb 53 for this purpose. With the comb 53 in its holding position, comb 50 elevates, as shown in Fig. 17, to form the loops 62a which are of constant and equal height, by brushing or wiping up the bite of the pile yarns against the back surfaces of upper comb body 55. During this operation the comb 50 securely clamps the leading end 63 against the preceding shot 46a. Meanwhile, a third filling weft 460 has been inserted by needle 59 in front of reed 45 with the chain warps 33 and 34 reversed. The stuffer warp 35, however, remains below filling weft $60 as shown in Figs. 17 and 18. The comb 56 then withdraws and the shot 466 is beaten up by reed 45, as shown in Fig. 19. Comb 50 then elevates to wipe up the trailing end 64 of loops 62a around shot 460 (Fig. 20), thus completing the formation of this row of loops. It will be seen that the leading end 63 of each loop is tied in under a top shot 46a and over a bottom shot 4612 both of which are insertedwithout a reversal of the harness frames 30 and 31. Harness frame 32 for the stuffer, however, is reversed, so that the stuffer runs between the shots 4611 and 46b. Before the insertion of the third shot 460, however, the chain harness frames 30 and 31 reverse so that the chain warps are on opposite sides of the third shot. This shedding of the chain warps is shown clearly in Fig. 20. After the trailing end 64 of loops 62a have been wiped up, the next yarn end from succeeding tuft tubes 38a and tube frame 36a is wiped down into and through the warp sheds and in advance of the first shot 46 which has been inserted in front of reed 45. The cycle then repeats to provide a three-shot loop pile Axminster fabric.

A slight variation in the fabric is illustrated in Figs. 21-23 wherein the lengths of the leading and trailing ends may be individually or collectively increased to provide a different surface pile effect, namely, a cut and uncut. Where the leading ends 63a, 63a (Fig. 21) are extended, they may be brought up into the face of the fabric to substantially the same height as loops 62. Conversely, the trailing ends 64a, 64a may be extended to create a somewhat similar effect as shown in Fig. 22. A very desirable cut and uncut appearance is produced when both the leading ends 63a, 63a and the trailing ends 64a, 64a are carried upwardly to approximately the same height as loop 62. This variation is shown in Fig. 23.

Figures 2 and 3 indicate the details of the mechanism of the upper comb assembly 52. A rocker arm 79 is journaled on shaft 80 and is controlled by a cam follower 81 in contact with cam 82. Spring 83 maintains contact between cam follower S1. and cam 82. Link 84 connects the end of arm 79 to connecting rods 85 by means of pins 86 and 87. This linkage controls both the horizontal and vertical movement of the comb 53. Horizontal movement of the comb is controlled by means of an interconnecting link 88 secured to link 84 by pin 89 and having a cam follower 90 engaging the surface of cam 91. The opposite end of link 88 is bifurcated and engages the cam shaft 92, thereby maintaining the radial position of the link. Spring 93 urges the cam follower against cam 91. Rods 85 are pinned to shaft 1 56 at 95 and rollers 96, 96 support shaft56 on guide elements 97, 97 having the form of angle irons. One web of the angle iron is slotted at 98 to permit linear movement of the shaft 56 substantially parallel to the plane of fabric F. The rollers 96 are retained axially on the shaft by means of collars 99. The legs or brackets 57 support the comb body 55 and are secured integrally to the comb and the shaft 56 by any suitable manner such as welding. It will thus be apparent that the path of comb 53 represents a compound path having both linear and arcuate components eifected by the joint action of the cams 82 and 91. r

The addition of an upper comb having the above described function of wiping severed pile ends held in one extremity around an elevated lower comb so that a succeeding filling weft is capable of binding in the wiped down ends represents novel construction in an Axminster loom.

From the standpoint of the fabric woven, it is possible to produce a loop pile Axminster fabric in which the pile loop extremities actually are tied in under warpwise spaced wefts and project upwardly. Such construction in a fabric is also very unique because the conventional loop pile fabric does not consist of individual loops having severed ends. The operation of the mechanism is positive and permits the relatively high speed production of a loop pile Axminster fabric without the use of pile wires and without major rebuilding of the conventional Axminster loom.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A loop pile Axminster fabric comprising a plurality of double filling wefts, rows of loop pile projections secured under and around some of said filling wefts, the leading end of each loop projection being secured under a double filling weft and enclosed within the loop, and thetrailing end of each loop being wrapped in the same direction around a succeeding filling weft.

2. A three-shot Axminster fabric in accordance with claim 1 in which each leading loop extremity is tied in under a top filling weft and between an aligned bottom filling weft, and the trailing extremity of each loop is tied in under a third double filling weft.

3. A fabric in accordance with claim 2 having a stutfer running between the first and second double filling wefts.

4. An Axminster fabric in accordance with claim 1 in which the leading tuft legs extend substantially as high as the pile loops.

5. An Axminster fabric in accordance with claim 1 in which the trailing tuft legs extend substantially as high as the pile loops.

6. An Axminster fabric in accordance with claim 1 in which both the leading and trailing legsextend substantially as high as the pile loops.

7. A three-shot Axminster fabric in accordance with claim 1 in which both the leading and trailing tuft legs extend substantially as high as the pile loops.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 423,659 Bollentin Mar. 18, 1890 1,739,181 Robertson Dec. 10,1929 2,063,853 Rice et al. Dec. 8, 1936 2,571,860 Gebert et al Oct. 16, 1951 2,715,918 Eisler et al Aug. 23, 1955 2,860,669 Moberg Nov. 18, 1958 

